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About NUI Galway

Since 1845, NUI Galway has been sharing the highest quality teaching and research with Ireland and the world. Find out what makes our University so special – from our distinguished history to the latest news and campus developments.

Biography

Paul O’Connor started as a Lecturer in Primary Care in January 2013 after coming to NUI Galway as a Research Methodologist in July 2010. He is also an Associate
Director of the Whitaker Institute. His research is concerned with improving human performance and safety in high risk work environments. He has carried out research in a wide range of high risk industries (e.g. civil aviation, nuclear power generation, offshore oil production), and the military (e.g. aviation, special forces). More recently he has been carrying out research in healthcare with the aim of improving patient safety and quality of care through addressing the human factors that contribute to poor performance.

He is leading a project to develop an
wiki-based database of social science research tools called the Measurement
Instrument Database for the Social Sciences (MIDSS; more
information is at www.midss.org).

He was
awarded a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Aberdeen in 2002, M.Sc. in Research Methods in
Psychology from the University of
Strathclyde, Scotland in
1997, and B.Sc.(Hons) in Psychology from
the University of Aberdeen, Scotland in 1996. His research is concerned with
human performance in high risk work domains with a focus on patient safety, human factors and
human error.

Prior to coming to
NUIG served as an Assistant Professor in the Operations Research Department at the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, Instructor in aviation psychology
and human factors at the Navy/Marine Corps School of Aviation Safety, Pensacola, Florida, Research Psychologist and Experimental Diver at the Navy Experimental Diving Unit, Panama City, Florida, and Research Assistant at Aberdeen University .

He has authored more
than 80 publications, including two books (Safety at the
Sharp End, and Human Performance Enhancements in High-risk
Environments). He is a chartered member of the British
Psychological Society and member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. He
is a reviewer for a number of other healthcare, human factors and safety
journals.

Paul O’Connor started as a Lecturer in Primary Care in January 2013 after coming to NUI Galway as a Research Methodologist in July 2010. He is also an Associate
Director of the Whitaker Institute. His research is concerned with improving human performance and safety in high risk work environments. He has carried out research in a wide range of high risk industries (e.g. civil aviation, nuclear power generation, offshore oil production), and the military (e.g. aviation, special forces). More recently he has been carrying out research in healthcare with the aim of improving patient safety and quality of care through addressing the human factors that contribute to poor performance.

He is leading a project to develop an
wiki-based database of social science research tools called the Measurement
Instrument Database for the Social Sciences (MIDSS; more
information is at www.midss.org).

He was
awarded a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Aberdeen in 2002, M.Sc. in Research Methods in
Psychology from the University of
Strathclyde, Scotland in
1997, and B.Sc.(Hons) in Psychology from
the University of Aberdeen, Scotland in 1996. His research is concerned with
human performance in high risk work domains with a focus on patient safety, human factors and
human error.

Prior to coming to
NUIG served as an Assistant Professor in the Operations Research Department at the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, Instructor in aviation psychology
and human factors at the Navy/Marine Corps School of Aviation Safety, Pensacola, Florida, Research Psychologist and Experimental Diver at the Navy Experimental Diving Unit, Panama City, Florida, and Research Assistant at Aberdeen University .

He has authored more
than 80 publications, including two books (Safety at the
Sharp End, and Human Performance Enhancements in High-risk
Environments). He is a chartered member of the British
Psychological Society and member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. He
is a reviewer for a number of other healthcare, human factors and safety
journals.

Research Interests

Patient safety

Human factors

Nontechnical skills

Human performance in high risk work environments

Medical simulation

Team training

Training evaluation

Mishap investigation

Safety climate/culture

Research Projects

Project

Start Date

End Date

A Moment for Hand Hygiene in the Intensive Care Unit: How Can Compliance be Improved?

01-MAY-16

30-APR-19

Contract Researchers

Researcher Name

Project

Role

Funding Body

Sinead Lydon

feasibility study of the effectiveness of an intervention designed to improve Safety climate in Primary Care

'Impact of working 48 hours per week on opportunities for training and patient contact: the experience of Irish interns'
O’Connor, P., Ahern, B., Moloney, B., Lydon, S., & Bryne, D (2015) 'Impact of working 48 hours per week on opportunities for training and patient contact: the experience of Irish interns'. International Journal For Quality In Health Care, [DOI] [Details]

'Evaluation of a Human Factors Analysis and Classification System as Used by Simulated Mishap Boards'
O'Connor, P,Walker, P (2011) 'Evaluation of a Human Factors Analysis and Classification System as Used by Simulated Mishap Boards'. Aviation Space And Environmental Medicine, 82 :44-48 [DOI][ARAN Link] [Details]

'Evaluation of a Human Factors Analysis and Classification System Used by Trained Raters'
O'Connor, P,Walliser, J,Philips, E (2010) 'Evaluation of a Human Factors Analysis and Classification System Used by Trained Raters'. Aviation Space And Environmental Medicine, 81 :957-960 [DOI] [Details]

An investigation of the nontechnical skills required to maximize the safety and productivity of U.S. Navy divers.
O'Connor, P. (2005) An investigation of the nontechnical skills required to maximize the safety and productivity of U.S. Navy divers. Navy Experimental Diving Unit, Panama City, FL. [Details]

Factoring the human into safety translating research into practice. Volume 2: The development and evaluation of a human factors accident and near miss reporting form for the offshore oil industry.
Mearns, K., Whitaker, S., Flin, R., Gordon, R., O'Connor, P. (2003) Factoring the human into safety translating research into practice. Volume 2: The development and evaluation of a human factors accident and near miss reporting form for the offshore oil industry. Her Majesty’s stationary office, Norwich, England. [Details]